Hundreds of plant and animal species call the North American Great Lakes home and humans rely on the lakes as a source of clean water for drinking, fishing and four-season fun. Lots of hard work from many dedicated organizations and individuals in Canada and the United States help keep the Great Lakes ecosystem healthy but the lakes are still threatened by pollution, invasive species and climate change. Check out our video for an introduction to the Great Lakes and find out how they were formed, how they are managed and why they are so important.

Now that you’ve scratched the surface of the Great Lakes, dive deeper with Toronto Zoo’s Great Lakes Program! Get to know some of the amazing aquatic species living right here in the watersheds of the Great Lakes and get involved to help protect these locally endangered fishes and molluscs.

The Great Lakes Program is a FREE, curriculum-based, in-class education program that encourages students, educators and families to "Keep our Great Lakes Great" while learning about local aquatic species at risk:

American eel (endangered)

Atlantic salmon Lake Ontario population (extirpated)

Channel darter (threatened)

Eastern sand darter (threatened)

Freshwater mussels

Lake sturgeon (threatened)

Pugnose shiner (threatened)

Redside dace (endangered)

Through these examples, in-class presentations emphasize the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems for both animal and human use. Outreach presentations are tied to the Life Systems strand of the Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum and are offered at NO CHARGE for Grades K-12. These programs can also be delivered in FRENCH!

Over 20,000 educators and students participate in our Great Lakes Program annually. Reaching beyond the classroom, the Great Lakes Program also has 3,000 public participants annually (camps, libraries, festivals, etc.) and the Program contributes to habitat rehabilitation through shoreline clean-ups and tree plantings.

Public events, both at the Toronto Zoo and off-site, reach even more people with the message of water conservation through the Great Lakes Program. Some events include: Party for the Planet, water festivals throughout Ontario and water-based workshops at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Financial supporters include the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Species at Risk program, the Environment Canada Habitat Stewardship Program and Ontario Streams.

Aqua-Links

Toronto Zoo’s Aqua-Links Program has participated in the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Recovery Program (LOASRP) for 10 years. In partnership with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Zoo distributes 100 Atlantic salmon eggs to participating schools each year. Approximately 500 eggs are also kept at Toronto Zoo for rearing. In the spring, participating students personally release their salmon fry with Aqua-Links program staff at specific locations in designated tributaries of Lake Ontario to help restore this extirpated species.

Year 10

In 2019, 26 schools participated in the classroom hatchery program thanks in part to a partnership with the Toronto District School Board. Toronto Zoo program staff facilitated a pre-program workshop to introduce new teachers to the salmon rearing program, demonstrate hatchery set-up and maintenance, and facilitate idea sharing among participants. In total, 3,000 Atlantic salmon fry were released in spring 2019 into Duffin’s Creek, Credit River, and Cobourg Creek through the Aqua-Links program. The students felt a personal connection to the fish and were invested in the entire process.